Jul 11, 2013 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – A Waynesburg man who attempted to burglarize a storage unit at Kovalcheck’s Storage in Cumberland Township, but was stopped by the owner who was armed with a gun, was sentenced Monday by Judge William Nalitz to 11 ½ to 23 months in jail.

Stephen M. Whipkey, 22, of 3127 Mt. Morris Road, had earlier pleaded no contest to burglary, conspiracy, criminal trespass, theft, possession of instruments of crime and criminal mischief.

Whipkey and James M. Kennedy, 28, of Mather, were arrested by Cumberland Township police at the storage units off Khedive Road on Oct. 21. Police said the two had broken into one of the units when they were confronted by Sam Murphy, owner of the units, who was armed with a gun.

Murphy detained the two men until the police arrived.

Whipkey was given credit for the four months he had already served in jail. He was fined $750 and ordered to pay $215 in restitution.

Kennedy pleaded guilty in February to charges connected to the incident and was sentenced to 3 to 29 ½ months in jail, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay restitution.

In other cases before the court, Ronald Kramer, 48, of 112 Walnut Lane, jefferson, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol and a summary traffic violation.

Kramer was sentenced by Nalitz to 72 hours to 6 months in jail, fined $1,025 and ordered to perform 90 hours of community service. Kramer was arrested in Cumberland Township April 26, 2012, and had a blood-alcohol content of .185 percent.

Several people also were admitted to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program Tuesday for first offenders by Judge Farley Toothman. If they successfully complete the program they can petition the court to have their record expunged.

Admitted were:

Justin Wrick, 25, of 161 Sit Still Road, Dilliner, charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and two summary traffic violations. He was arrested Jan. 27 and had a blood-alcohol level of .120 percent. Wrick was fined $50 and received a 30-day license suspension.

Patrick Chay Morris, 23, of 227 Butternut Road, Graysville, charged with DUI and a summary violation. He was arrested Feb. 14 and had a BAC of .204 percent. Morris was fined $25 and received a 60-day license suspension.

Jeremy David Gardner, 22, of 255 Bridge St., Waynesburg, charged with DUI, accidents involving damage to an attended vehicle and three summary traffic violations. He failed to stop his vehicle folowing a two-vehicle crash on Route 188 on Dec. 15. His BAC was .207 percent. Gardner was fined $75 and received a 60-day license suspension.

Andrew Dean Plum, 26, of 44 Second St., Uniontown, charged with DUI, recklessing endangering another person and a summary traffic violation. Following a non-reportable crash in Fayette County on Dec. 8, Plum was arrested at the Sheetz Store in Cumberland Township. He had a BAC of .147 percent. An 18-year-old man was passed out in the rear seat of his vehcile from alcohol consumption. Plum received a 60-day license suspension.

Richard Keith Garrett, 59, of 42 Route 21 Mobile Home Park, Carmichaels, charged with DUI. Arrested Jan. 1 in Waynesburg Borough, Garrett had a BAC of .090 percent. He received no fine or license suspension.